Gasket



Patented 2%, i935 GASKET Leonard H. Darbyshire,

Detroit, Mich., assignor to Norge Corporation, Detroit, Mich., acorporation of Michig Application August 8, 1932, Serial No. 627,865

2 Claims.

This invention relates to freezer construction for mechanicalrefrigerators and has special reference to the elimination of aircirculation into the quick freezing compartment used for the productionof ice cubes and frozen desserts.

I have found that when air circulation is permitted into the quickfreezing compartment that frost is deposited on the walls and containerstherein causing the containers to stick and preventing easy. removalthereof. The air circulation also carries food odors into thecompartment to contaminate the water or delicate confections beingfrozen with unpalatable foreign flavors. It has been heretofore proposedto use a door over 'the end of the compartment but even that isinsuicient to prevent deposition of frost around the mouth of thecompartment due to theextreme low temperatures maintained therein whichserves to. condense the moisture in the air attracted to the lowtemperature area. I have discovered that it requires the provision of ahighly eilicient air seal to eliminate such condensation and frosting sothat it is an object of this invention to provide such a seal.

It is another object of this invention to provide an air seal or gasketthat can be applied to the shell of the quick freezing compartment andthat will be yieldingly interposed between the end of the shell and aspring closed door.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an elastic gasketengaging both the periphery and edge of an open ended compartmentwhereby to maintain the gasket in position.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple andinexpensive form of gasket easily applied to the entnce end of acompartment.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawing.

I'his invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated inthe drawing andhereinafter more fully described.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view of an open refrigerator showing theshield and door covering Cil the freezing unit and ice tray receptacleor sleeve;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the front end of thefreezer sleeve with a gasket applied thereto embodying one form of thisAinvention;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on the line` III-III of Fig. 2, addingthe door thereto; and

Figure 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3, embodying a modified form ofgasket.

As shown on the drawing:

The top portion of an opened refrigerator compartment 10 is shown inFigure 1 to illustrate the location of a freezer unit behind a shield 11apertured for entry to the open end of a freezer sleeve 12 into whichtrays are inserted to produce ice cubes or frozen confections. Theshield aperture is closed by a door 13 normally held shut by springhinges 14.

The freezer sleeve 12 is formed as rectangular in section to accommodatea stack of ice trays and may be slightly enlarged to -form a shoulder 15back of the open end 16 to facilitate access to and removal of selectedtrays. It may also be advantageous to roll back the edge of the entranceend as shown at 17 in Fig. 3, although if desired the end may bearranged otherwise as for example flared as at 18 in Fig. 4.

'An endless gasket ring of resilient or elastic material 19 is shaped toconform to the profile of the enlarged part of the shell, with a frontbead portion 20 overlapping the edge of the opening and a rear portion21 seating behind the shoulder formed by the enlarged part of the shell.The ring is stretched to snap over the shell, the stretching causing atension in cross section which causes the front and rear portionsv tosnugly fit the corresponding parts of the shell to retain the gasket inplace, the front bead 20 serving as a bumper and seal against the innersurface of the door.v It is desirable to vslightly undercut the frontbead to form a reentrant inner surface 22 for the lip 23 of the bumper.

While I have described the preferred form of gasket shown in Figure 3 asmade of resilient or elastic material I desire to have it understoodthat I do not desire to limit myselfto the use of solid live rubber,since other materials may be utilized to support the front bead formingthe bumper and gasket seal.

A modified form of gasket construction as shown in Fig. 4 comprises abead 24 adapted to engage over the aredend of the shell, an inner clip25 holding the bead in place.

It will thus be seen that I have invented an improved closure sealinggasketparticularly adapted for use in sealing the quick freezingcompartment from contaminating air circulation and in the prevention offrosting and sticking of the trays inserted therein, my sealing gasketbeing adapted to retain its effective position without interfering withthe insertion or removal of the trays.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction may be 55 varied through a wide range without departingfrom` the principles of this invention, and I, therefor, do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article ofl manufacture an endless resilient sealing stripadapted to envelop opposed shoulders of a peripheral enlargementadjacent the open end of a shell, comprising a resilient gasket adaptedto embrace the exterior of the shell and envelop the opposed shouldersand carrying a bead overhanging the edge of the shell for engagementbetween the edge of the shell and a closure therefor, said resilientgasket being adapted to be stretched when in position whereby theresulting transverse contraction grips the shoulders of each enlargementto firmly retain the gasket in position.

2. As an article of manufacture an endless resilient sealing stripadapted to envelop opposed shoulders of a peripheral enlargementadjacent the open end of a shell, one shoulder being formed by the edgeof said shell, comprising a resilient gasket adapted to embrace theexterior of the shell and envelop the opposed shoulders and carrying abead overhanging the edge of the shell for engagement between the edgeof the shell and a closure therefor, said resilient gasket being adaptedto be stretched when in position whereby the resulting transversecontraction grips the shoulders of each enlargement to firmly retain thegasket in position.

LEONARD H. DARBYSHIRE.

